Overall violence has dropped significantly in Iraq since the peak of sectarian violence, between 2005 and 2007. Yet such attacks continue as the 10-year anniversary of the U.S-led invasion of Iraq nears next month.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad condemned the attacks.

Recent attacks in Shiite areas have spread fear among Iraqis that sectarian warfare may ravage the country again.

Sunnis demand that the Shiite-led government stop what they call second-class treatment of Iraq’s Sunni community.

Sunnis largely boycotted Iraq’s 2005 elections, leading to the emergence of a Shiite-led government. The move left the once-ruling minority disaffected.

Last month, at least 177 Iraqi civilians, soldiers and police officers were killed in attacks, according to figures compiled by Iraq’s interior, defense and health ministries.

The casualties were predominantly civilians, according to the ministries.

The total does not include those killed in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, which keeps its own death toll.

Security has deteriorated since last December, when Sunni demonstrators in provinces such as Anbar and Mosul called for an end to what they considered second-class treatment.

The protests were triggered when Iraqi security forces arrested several bodyguards of Finance Minister Rafie al-Essawi, a Sunni.

One man one voice

kafantaris

The one that has the most power to stop the cycle of revenge is the one who has been wronged last and whose turn it is to act. He could use his turn and continue the cycle or he can forego it — both now and the next time until it stops. Such is the wisdom and utility of turning the other cheek that nobody thought of before Christ.